1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information handling systems. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to portable information handling systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
It is known to provide portable information handling systems with a clamshell housing design (i.e., a housing in which two parts are attached by a hinge and that open and close like a clamshell).
To achieve a desired thin clamshell design, it is desirable to move much of the information handling system electronics out from within the critical housing stacks. For example, in certain designs, the critical stack for the base of the clamshell housing includes only a keyboard and a battery as well as the necessary housing base. The critical stack for the head assembly includes only a display assembly (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) assembly) as well as the necessary housing. One known possibility for addressing this issue is to move the hinge up from the bottom of the head (hinge-up) assembly and have the base fold up into the head in closed mode. (FIG. 1, labeled Prior Art, shows an example of such an assembly.) The total system thickness is just the minimum head stack with LCD, plus the minimum base stack with keyboard and battery. The main electronics assembly (motherboard, etc.) are then located within a portion of the head that is below the hinge (referred to as the “chin” here). However, such a design can result in having to raise the hinge pivot point high enough that the slope of the base in open mode is too great. (See e.g., FIG. 1, labeled Prior Art.)